Turn Left

There's this path type thing, sort of in the woods, that borders a whole big ton of acres of land that, to the best of my understanding, is fenced off for military training purposes. But it's a big piece of land with walking/running/biking trails bordering it, and I like to go wandering some days. On clear mornings, you can see all the way to London, and it's pretty beautiful. Not to mention, it's where Millie (the dog) goes for her walk every day.

So I usually get to this path type thing, and turn right. And then it does a sort of loop, and sometimes I wander off on another trail that goes into the woods more, and then circle back around and eventually end up on my way back to the house.

But today I turned left.

And boy oh boy, and I glad I turned left today. What a way to end the week.

Chill in the Air

It officially feels like autumn is coming to a close. November seemed to be picture perfect, and we took that opportunity to enjoy the foliage and all that nature had to offer before the frost rolled in. Now we're switching to heavier bedding, bundling up to go outside, and counting down the days on Advent calendars until Christmas arrives. Where did the time go? Life is seeming more and more like a roll of toilet paper; the closer to the end you get, the faster it moves (Life lessons from unlikely source).

In all seriousness, my birthday came and went at the end of last month and I can't believe a year has passed at what seems like record speed. Hence, I have a pre-new-year resolution: my goal for the remainder of December is to take in as much of every day as I possibly can. It's just all flying by too quickly, it seems. And I'd like to stop and smell the frosty flowers before they melt away.

Wildlife

Miss me? Sorry about that. I've been taking some much-needed time off. Trying to get life in general sorted out, planning a trip back to America (hopefully for Thanksgiving)... it's just been a little overwhelming lately, so I needed to step back and be a little self-centered for a while. That being said, TADAAA! I'm back, fo' sho.

One of the most calming, happy-endorphin-inducing activities I can partake in when stressed or worried, is a nice long walk or hike surrounded by nature. I love this trail that runs along a canal, and how autumnal and peaceful the entire scene was when I spend a Sunday morning exploring it. Families biking together, small houseboats puffing smoke out of their chimney as they probably cooked their breakfasts, and ducks eagerly following passing children in the hopes of some bread being tossed into the water.

Sometimes it's good to detach from reality, however briefly, and re-ground oneself. It's rejeuvenating, refreshing, relaxing.  Happy hump day. Let's get back to business.

Wood Nymph

I needed excuses to do two things today: to practice using Lightroom, and to wear my "new" hippie dress that I acquired this weekend. So I grabbed my camera and tripod and headed off into the woods, just off of a trail near the house where we like to walk the dog.

It's sort of sunny but cold today, and the sunlight was playing tricks as it filtered through the ever changing leaves in the soft morning breeze. Hues of gold and orange touched everything on the forest floor, and I felt like the floaty cotton dress was alive as I danced through the birches. It was a quiet way to clear my head today; a simple but effective practice in patience and self-love, as I set and reset the timer on my camera, running and skipping and repeating shots a dozen times each.

And now it's another piece of the puzzle in the learning process, as I gave Lightroom another go. I was going to separately edit in Photoshop and compare the two, but I think I'll keep pushing myself to learn if I don't allow myself another option. It is quicker, I have to say. And the lack of precision in the editing process forces me to think more about the composition while I'm taking the photo.
All in all, I loved the fairytale lighting in the trees today. It's one of those moments that I was genuinely happy to be by myself, alone with the sunshine and my thoughts.

Found Objects

Being the magpie that I am, little found objects tend to float into my line of vision and beg to be picked up. A few of nature's souvenirs came home with me from our last trip to the seashore and are now finding a home in our home.

A teensy natural quartz geode I found amongst the beach pebbles. I found two of them, actually. So lucky. 

An absolutely picture perfect baby scallop shell that my hubby found for me has been repurposed as an incense holder.

August Showers

I love the smell of the woods after a rain. Especially an autumn rain, filled with the robust late summer foliage and hint of berries and living creatures. The beginning of the end, with the season of bare trees and fallen leaves just around the corner.

After a day and a half of steady rainfall, there was finally a chance to escape the indoors and take a hike. I fell in love with the birch lined paths, the tall ferns with their tips beginning to change to red and amber. The smell of wet wood and moss, that otherworldly mist that rises off of everything. After the rain... it just might be my favorite time of all.

On Being Inspired

Spring is influential in so many ways. The to-do-list mentality takes a backseat to the desire to just sit and watch the world go by. You can hear laughing outdoors again. Toes that were encased in boots for months crave a good pedicure and a new pair of open toed shoes so that they can soak up the sun, too. The floral sundresses come out of closets, and their gauzy skirts float in a warm breeze.

They say that fall in New York is romantic, but I've found that nothing says romance more than budding green life, colorful flowers, sunshine, and the return of outdoor happy hour.
Here's to the first truly warm day this year, and hopes for many more colorful lunchtime walks in Madison Square Park.

First Signs of Spring

  

 

On Saturday, the sun peeked out and warmed the layer of ice that has been covering everything in sight for this past month, and the balmy 50+ degree temperatures prompted a walk in the park. In between avoiding sinking into the pools of mud and melted snow, there were signs of the impending spring season beginning to show their colors. Despite my love of big coats and snowy weather, I think that I am finally ready for the seasons to change. I can't wait for everything to begin to grow again!

My Kind of Paradise

I think my new goal when I own a home someday is to build a conservatory. Stepping into the tropical climate of each of the conservatory's rooms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden rescued me from the cold and snow and brought so much life and vibrance back into a dreary time of year. Such a stark contrast to the frosted and monochromatic outdoors in winter, this place still teems with life and vitality. Though I can't escape on a tropical vacation any time soon, this surely satisfied my craving for warmer weather, if only for a short while. 

Seasons Change

I love the changing leaves. Every year, I wait like a kid on Christmas Eve to see the first shades of orange peeking through the foliage. Even here in NYC, though the trees aren't as plentiful as the hills of my hometown, it feels like autumn. The crisp air this past weekend, the clear sky, the way the sunlight makes everything seem gilded in the late afternoon... I could sit on a park bench taking it in, all day. All day. 

Take Me Home

No matter where I end up, who I end up with, and what I end up doing there... I will always trace my roots back to the dirt roads in the heart of Pennsylvania. This past weekend I took Steve to meet my siblings & father, and to see a little bit of where I'm from. As he put it, "it's a different world." 

There is so much beauty, so much peace and quiet, and so much fun to be had down the back roads that lead to the places I love so much - made even better by spending my time there with people that I love so much. As happy as I am to be back home after so much traveling, it is my favorite place to escape the nonstop hectic lifestyle in the city we currently call home.

The trees showed a hint of fall (besides the chill in the air) : the first changing leaves. 

Even though he was on crutches from a foot injury, we went for a little stroll in the woods behind my family's home.

Botanical Bliss

Saturday morning dawned crisp, bright, and quiet. Spending the first half of the day on my own, I decided to go on a little adventure. A cup of coffee, a loaded camera bag, and a short 10-minute train ride from my apartment later, and I was standing at the gates of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. For other New Yorkers or Brooklynites who were unaware (as I was myself): the Gardens are open to the public for free on Saturday mornings until noon. So, you should probably go too. You might even see me there, because I plan to return quite frequently. Even after spending 3 hours wandering its winding path until my feet begged me to stop, I don't think I even explored half as much as I would like to. 

The rose gardens were beautiful. Under that white gazebo, far back on the right, someone was either getting married, or taking wedding photos. Either way, I was completely captivated by this place, and it is now the front runner for my wedding or engagement photo location.

Buzzzzzzzzz buzz buzz buzzzzzzzzz mister bee.

This guy serenaded me as I walked through the gigantic sunflowers in the produce garden. It was just me and the birds, and the bees, and the butterflies. I almost felt home again, temporarily removed from the reminders of city life. This little bit of alone time, this little release from my hectic everyday, was magical and much needed. And I can't wait to return.